Camping in France

[welshbaron]

Hi All,

Looking at a possible camping trip to France in August. Never camped before and was wondering about the best regions to stay and looking for ideas. Happy to be around lakes or the sea - but really want something that allows us to get out in the day to see different things without driving miles and miles.

TIA

 

[czmate1999]

have a look at the eurocamp sites, could be a starter for ten.

 

[Oldrat]

Download the camper contact app

 

[cgtmiles]

When it comes to where to go, it depends on what you are after, whether you have kids etc etc.

for a beach holiday we have been going to the med at the spanish border. Anywhere south of Perpignan but I really like the Atlantic coast by the Spanish border, south of beritz is nice. Both sides have the advantage of being able to spend the odd day in the mountains or in Spain.

 

[Paynewright]

Beware Eurocamp are not opening all their sites - we were due to go late July, paid balance last week only to find out via their website update that many smaller sites are not opening.

We were due to go to Chateax Les Eaux where we’ve been to before. Granville is the nearest town - lots of WW2 sites, beach about 15 mins by car, Mont St Michel not far. The campsite is idyllic.

 

[Nigel W]

One of the best camp site guides, in my opinion, are produced by ACSI.
They do two versions and also an app which I have on my iPhone and iPad.
if you are going in Aug do not get the CampingCard version as this is a discount scheme for those travelling out of season (which we do).
they have a website so suggest you have a look.

 

[$immo]

Hi All,

Looking at a possible camping trip to France in August. Never camped before and was wondering about the best regions to stay and looking for ideas. Happy to be around lakes or the sea - but really want something that allows us to get out in the day to see different things without driving miles and miles.

TIA

Can recommend the family run sight at

Camping 4 stars charente maritime (17) - Camping Le Logis du Breuil Saint-Augustin

The Logis du Breuil, your 4-star campsite in Charente Maritimes - For a successful holiday in Saint Augustin in the 17th.

www.logis-du-breuil.com

Been a few years and lots of returning visitors each year (same faces around the pools). Lots of Welsh visitors

Excellent local beaches, islands & pretty french villages & towns.

 

[Fromow]

Beware Eurocamp are not opening all their sites - we were due to go late July, paid balance last week only to find out via their website update that many smaller sites are not opening.

We were due to go to Chateax Les Eaux where we’ve been to before. Granville is the nearest town - lots of WW2 sites, beach about 15 mins by car, Mont St Michel not far. The campsite is idyllic.

Can’t agree with you more about Les Eaux, beautiful Small site with a great pool complex for the children, we will only stay in Castel sites now.

 

[DXX]

The Dordogne, Vendee and Pyrenees are my favourite areas.
A nice campsite near Sarlat in Dordogne is Camping Sarlat - Vacances nature en Dordogne - Huttopia
In the Vendee there are campsites all along the coast.
Personally I prefer to use aires but campsites have advantages especially with kids.

 

[rod_vw]

We are always happy using Aires and use Search for Sites app to find them but they also list camp sites. This app also interfaces with CoPilot and some other sat-navs to route you to your chosen site.

 

[DXX]

We are always happy using Aires and use Search for Sites app to find them but they also list camp sites. This app also interfaces with CoPilot and some other sat-navs to route you to your chosen site.

I’ve used Search for Sites many times in France, make sure you read the reviews before deciding on a location. There are quite a few sites in which overnighting is no longer allowed. Good reason to spend 5 min leaving a review on a site to help others, especially if you find it closed.

 

[rod_vw]

I’ve used Search for Sites many times in France, make sure you read the reviews before deciding on a location. There are quite a few sites in which overnighting is no longer allowed. Good reason to spend 5 min leaving a review on a site to help others, especially if you find it closed.

Yes, it's always a bonus to others when we leave a review. Unfortunately I am guilty of not doing it enough.

 

[DaveCrampton]

We are camping in France in mid July. We will be staying in a site with electric hook ups. Do French campsites have the outdoor sockets, blue ABB plugs, or will we need an adapter?

 

[rod_vw]

Yes on both counts. There are more and more sites using the modern 16A blue sockets but there are still plenty of the old type about especially on small rural sites. Do be aware that the French don't care about polarity, live & neutral can often be reversed. If you have any reservations about this and have some kind of indicator to confirm polarity then it's worth making a reversing adaptor up (blue female to blue male) with the live & neutral twisted (reversed) between them to insert in your leads if you find a problem site socket. It's worth marking such an adapter up with red tape or similar bright mark to remind you of what it is.

 

[DaveCrampton]

Now setup in Rambouillet outside Paris. Huttopia.
Camping this week. All set up and ready to explore Paris by train tomorrow. But guess who forgot to bring a multi adapter for the hookup? So stuck with two sockets in the van. Good job I have a mains Anker usb hub with ten outputs, or the family would Kill me!

During daylight hours, we have a Renogy solar charger for the leisure battery.

 

[True Romance]

Now setup in Rambouillet outside Paris. Huttopia.
Camping this week. All set up and ready to explore Paris by train tomorrow. But guess who forgot to bring a multi adapter for the hookup? So stuck with two sockets in the van. Good job I have a mains Anker usb hub with ten outputs, or the family would Jill me!

During daylight hours, we have a Renogy solar charger for the leisure battery.

Photos?

 

[Salty Spuds]

Now setup in Rambouillet outside Paris. Huttopia.
Camping this week. All set up and ready to explore Paris by train tomorrow. But guess who forgot to bring a multi adapter for the hookup? So stuck with two sockets in the van. Good job I have a mains Anker usb hub with ten outputs, or the family would Jill me!

During daylight hours, we have a Renogy solar charger for the leisure battery.

Re. Adapter. If it’s a 2 pin continental to blue 16a socket, you can pick them up cheap enough any where in France. I’m surprised the campsite doesn’t sell them.

 

[DaveCrampton]

We found a blue ABB plug to European std so have cobbled together a second mains lead for the fridge! Yay! (Small wins add up).
Huttopia is a wonderful site with lots of tree cover, to keep the sun/heat off whilst camping. The downside, moving the solar cells regularly. (No pictures of the tent inside, as a small bomb went off!)

We have a blue to UK male adapter and a blue to euro (two pin) adapter. Really we need a 4 way extension which we forgot to pack.

 

[Ayjay]

@DaveCrampton. Is the station and town easily walkable from the campsite (ie. within 2-3 Km)?. I would also be interested in whether there was anywhere decent to eat there (again within walking distance). Cheers.

 

[DaveCrampton]

@Ayjay

Yes walkable, but maybe not with children. We camped here in 2019 for the ParisBrest cycle ride as a large group of adult cyclists. We rode into town a few times, but walked mostly for evening meals etc.. the downside to the campsite is the entrance road is opposite the town but it is separated by a main road, with large fenced which prevent you crossing. There are a few nice places to eat in town, from memory but we will explore and report back prices. There is a great Leclerc within 4km on the east side of the town which is a pleasant 5 minute cycle ride away.
Huttopia has a cafeteria and bar with plenty of seating inside and out. It serves pizza and the usual small kitchen fare. They accept card payment and have breakfast and a bread/pastry order each evening for the following morning.
The facilities are clean and well presented, lots of toilets around the site as well as showers and a self service laundry, costs £4+1 for a wash + powder.
There are pitches ranging from cycle tourists, to large family tents to campers, with over half the pitches having power. You can rent tents of various sizes (large perm pitched canvass) and chalets of different sizes.

The downsides:
Lack of water close to each pitch, but lots at each toilet block.
No local bins, all located at the entrance en mass. We need to buy bin bags.

Conclusion.
Comfortable family site which caters to all campers, with the usual separated pitches, with power located nearby. It's quiet and has a private feeling on the pitch, as pitches have planted hedge dividers. It's set in a wooded area which provides cover from the main heat of the day.

This year's camping tip for those with teens. Cargo pocket shorts for all the sweetie wrappers the leave lying around.